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Getting To Know Malik Mixon
October 07, 2022 | Track & Field
Freshman hurdler Malik Mixon joined the Trojan Family all the way from College Park, GA. Before USC, he competed in at the World Athletic U20 Championships and was named Georgia's 2021 Gatorade Boy's Track & Field Athlete of the Year. From his favorite place to eat to what drives him to compete at such a high-level, Malik talks about USC and his journey here.
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Q: How did you get involved in sports? Was it always track & field from the beginning or did you play another sports?
MM: Before I started doing track I started with soccer. I played for about 5-6 years of my life and eventually I got tired of it because I played it for so long. I got into track because my mom would take me to my cousin's meets, and I'd always tell her, "I want to run track too," but my mom wasn't a fan of how long the meets were. Then one year I just kept asking and asking her to run and she finally let me.
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Q: Would you say your family played a big role in your athletic career?
MM: My family has played a huge part in my athletic career. When it came to driving me to practice or making sure I'm getting the food I need, to telling me to not give up or quit. There was a point of my life where I didn't want to do track anymore, but it kept me together and the No. 1 rule in our house is that you always have to be doing something: whether that's school, a club activity or athletics. Not too many people will have somebody that will take the time to help you achieve your dream and I'm lucky I have that.
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Q: What made you choose USC over some of the other schools you were looking at? Did you think about staying in Georgia?
MM: I felt like I needed something new after I had accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in Georgia. Part of the reason I chose USC is obviously the academics, but also the great coaching staff. For me, track is my dream. It's been my dream for a while. Coaches like Quincy Watts, gold medalist in the 400m, and Joanna Hayes who has a gold medal in the 100m hurdles, will help me get better in both of those events. I mean coach Hayes trained Rai Benjamin another Olympic gold medalist. And since my No. 1 goal is to become a professional athlete and eventually be the best in the world at whatever event that I do, I feel like USC has the coaching staff to take me to that next level.
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Q: What would you say drives you to compete at the level you do?
MM: Winning and getting better. I'm pretty sure nobody likes to lose but I kind of take it to the extreme. I'm very competitive when it comes to anything in life and want to be the best at what I do. I'm the kind of person who will say "Hey, if I train in your event, I'll beat you," or, "If you do beat me then we're both crossing the line with a PR." That's who I am. I'm very strong-minded and strong-willed and I think that's what's carried me this far.
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Q: What do you like to do when you're not training or in meetings?
M.M.: I like to cook, try new places to eat — I'm a foodie — and watch anime. I'd much rather hang out with a small group of friends than go out, so I love hanging out with my friends, campus activities and doing things with my team.
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Q: Favorite place to eat on campus? Off?
M.M.: So far on campus it is Little Galen, I'm sure every athlete likes Little Galen because there's always something good to eat and it fuels you up. I haven't been to a lot of places off campus yet but there was this ramen place Johnnie Blockburger took me to. I got the beef ramen, and it was the best ramen I have ever had. Easy 10/10.
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Q: What's your favorite thing that you get to do with your team?
M.M: Honestly just hanging out listening to music, watching movies and TV. I've been spending a lot of time with Justin Braun just playing the game, eating food, going to football games, things that happen on campus. I like low-key stuff where you get to know people more and learn about them.
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Q: Dream job (outside of track)?
M.M.: Pro gamer. I love video games, or I've always thought lion tamers were really cool!
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Q: How did you get involved in sports? Was it always track & field from the beginning or did you play another sports?
MM: Before I started doing track I started with soccer. I played for about 5-6 years of my life and eventually I got tired of it because I played it for so long. I got into track because my mom would take me to my cousin's meets, and I'd always tell her, "I want to run track too," but my mom wasn't a fan of how long the meets were. Then one year I just kept asking and asking her to run and she finally let me.
Â
Q: Would you say your family played a big role in your athletic career?
MM: My family has played a huge part in my athletic career. When it came to driving me to practice or making sure I'm getting the food I need, to telling me to not give up or quit. There was a point of my life where I didn't want to do track anymore, but it kept me together and the No. 1 rule in our house is that you always have to be doing something: whether that's school, a club activity or athletics. Not too many people will have somebody that will take the time to help you achieve your dream and I'm lucky I have that.
Â
Q: What made you choose USC over some of the other schools you were looking at? Did you think about staying in Georgia?
MM: I felt like I needed something new after I had accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in Georgia. Part of the reason I chose USC is obviously the academics, but also the great coaching staff. For me, track is my dream. It's been my dream for a while. Coaches like Quincy Watts, gold medalist in the 400m, and Joanna Hayes who has a gold medal in the 100m hurdles, will help me get better in both of those events. I mean coach Hayes trained Rai Benjamin another Olympic gold medalist. And since my No. 1 goal is to become a professional athlete and eventually be the best in the world at whatever event that I do, I feel like USC has the coaching staff to take me to that next level.
Â
Q: What would you say drives you to compete at the level you do?
MM: Winning and getting better. I'm pretty sure nobody likes to lose but I kind of take it to the extreme. I'm very competitive when it comes to anything in life and want to be the best at what I do. I'm the kind of person who will say "Hey, if I train in your event, I'll beat you," or, "If you do beat me then we're both crossing the line with a PR." That's who I am. I'm very strong-minded and strong-willed and I think that's what's carried me this far.
Â
Q: What do you like to do when you're not training or in meetings?
M.M.: I like to cook, try new places to eat — I'm a foodie — and watch anime. I'd much rather hang out with a small group of friends than go out, so I love hanging out with my friends, campus activities and doing things with my team.
Â
Q: Favorite place to eat on campus? Off?
M.M.: So far on campus it is Little Galen, I'm sure every athlete likes Little Galen because there's always something good to eat and it fuels you up. I haven't been to a lot of places off campus yet but there was this ramen place Johnnie Blockburger took me to. I got the beef ramen, and it was the best ramen I have ever had. Easy 10/10.
Â
Q: What's your favorite thing that you get to do with your team?
M.M: Honestly just hanging out listening to music, watching movies and TV. I've been spending a lot of time with Justin Braun just playing the game, eating food, going to football games, things that happen on campus. I like low-key stuff where you get to know people more and learn about them.
Â
Q: Dream job (outside of track)?
M.M.: Pro gamer. I love video games, or I've always thought lion tamers were really cool!
Â
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